Byline: Maysa Rashid
The Global Network Initiative (GNI), in partnership with the Center for Studies on Freedom of Expression (CELE), hosted its Annual Learning Forum (Forum) on October 22, 2025, at the University of Palermo Law School in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
This year’s Forum was the first held in Latin America, and convened experts from around the world to examine how governments, companies, and civil society are navigating fast-shifting regulatory and political contexts for technology and human rights. It took place alongside the “Towards a Free Internet” workshop hosted by CELE, as well as GNI’s separate Annual Meeting of Members and Q3 Board Meeting.
The Forum’s discussions focused on intermediary liability, government regulation of artificial intelligence, and the evolving responsibilities of states and companies to protect freedom of expression and privacy. The Forum underscored the significance of Latin American perspectives in global digital rights debates, while drawing connections to experiences in South Asia, Europe, and beyond. (A recording of the panels and closing remarks is available to watch.)
Opening Remarks: Building Bridges Between Law, Technology, and Human Rights
The Forum began with a welcome from Fulvio Santarelli, Dean of the University of Palermo School of Law, who emphasized the importance of bridging law and technology to sustain constitutional guarantees and human rights amid rapid digital transformation. He acknowledged the uncertainty that technological disruption has introduced within the legal field urging continued collaboration between academia and international partners to ensure legal tools evolve alongside innovation.
Agustina del Campo, Director of CELE, reflected on the significance of hosting the Forum in Buenos Aires after years of collaboration between CELE and GNI. (CELE joined GNI in 2011). She highlighted that localizing global conversations is crucial, expressing that this time, rather than joining discussions abroad, the region was opening its doors and inviting the world into this important regional event.
Vicky Bowman, GNI’s Independent Chair, opened the Forum by reflecting on GNI’s mission to advance freedom of expression and privacy rights, including by resisting rights infringing impacts in the tech and telecommunications sectors. “Many of the assumptions that we have had over the last few decades are changing,” she noted, pointing to the rapid evolution of regulatory regimes and the growing need for cross-regional dialogue. In light of these developments, she emphasized the importance of ensuring that governments continue to protect human rights and that companies continue to respect them.
Session 1: Evolving Intermediary Liability and Government Regulation
The first panel explored new dynamics in intermediary liability and regulatory trends across regions, drawing perspectives from South Asia, Latin America, Europe, and globally. The session was moderated by Agustina del Campo (CELE) and featured Usama Khilji (Bolo Bhi; GNI Vice Chair), Rafael Zanatta (Data Privacy Brasil), Alex Walden (Google), and Logan Smith (Yahoo).
Usama Khilji described intensifying government efforts in South Asia to impose criminal penalties on platforms and journalists under the guise of combating misinformation. Despite these challenges, Khilji highlighted successful grassroots movements across the region that continue to push back against repression—from Sri Lanka to Nepal—demanding accountability and meaningful reform.
Alex Walden discussed how global companies navigate increasingly complex regulatory frameworks while upholding human rights commitments. She emphasized that multi-stakeholder engagement—including partnerships with civil society, academia, and socially responsible investors—remains essential.
Logan Smith shared a long-term view of intermediary regulation, cautioning against “policy contagion”—the spread of regulatory frameworks from one jurisdiction to another without assessing their human rights implications.
Rafael Zanatta analyzed Brazil’s evolving approach to intermediary liability, tracing the shift from the 2014 Marco Civil da Internet to this year’s Brazilian Supreme Court decision creating four distinct liability regimes. He emphasized the need for transparent standards and participatory policymaking, warning that broad judicial interpretations risk weakening freedom of expression while failing to deliver real accountability.
Session 2: Government Interventions in AI and Human Rights Implications
The second panel launched GNI’s new policy brief on Government Interventions in AI, produced by GNI’s multi-stakeholder AI working group. The panel, moderated by Min Aung (GNI), featured Mishi Choudhary (Software Freedom Law Center India), Cristian Leon (Internet Bolivia / Al Sur Consortium), Marlena Wisniak (European Center for Not-for-Profit Law), Miranda Sissons (Meta), and Nick Pelosi (Federated Hermes).
Mishi Choudhary opened by warning of a global “mission creep” in AI governance. She reflected on how misplaced trust in both governments and tech companies had led to abuses of power and exploitation, emphasizing that unchecked industrial AI strategies risk deepening surveillance practices and reinforcing social exclusion.
Cristian Leon described troubling developments across Latin America, noting that governments are increasingly using AI for mass surveillance and predictive policing in the name of national security. He cautioned that in regions lacking strong oversight and transparency, these technologies are amplifying and entrenching existing systems of control.
Marlena Wisniak outlined the dual challenges facing European AI governance—simplification and securitization. She highlighted concerns about the exemption in Article 2 of the EU AI Act, which allows member states to deploy AI in the name of national security without sufficient oversight.
Miranda Sissons, Meta’s Director of Human Rights Policy, reflected on emerging government demands targeting AI models themselves rather than user-generated content. She explained that AI-related takedown orders are likely to compel companies to modify model behavior or generate state-approved narratives, posing new proportionality and free expression concerns. While the rapid evolution of AI poses risks, she noted that recent improvements to large language models have enabled Meta’s integrity teams to respond more quickly at scale to violating content and behavior on their platforms.
From an investor’s standpoint, Nick Pelosi of Federated Hermes emphasized that responsible AI governance is not just a compliance matter but a fiduciary imperative. “We believe companies that put these measures in place proactively will be better prepared to comply with incoming regulations and to manage related risks,” he said.
Closing Reflections: Reaffirming Human Rights in a Fragmented World
In closing remarks, Jason Pielemeier, GNI’s Executive Director, reflected on the diversity and depth of the discussions and the significance of hosting the Forum in Latin America. “This region’s perspectives enrich the global debate on technology and human rights,” he observed.
He addressed the broader question uniting these issues: Do human rights still matter in the governance of technology? “Across the world, we see efforts to redefine or sideline human rights,” he said. “Yet in every region, from young people protesting in Nepal to courts in Brazil, to companies reaffirming their commitments within GNI, the answer remains the same: human rights still matter.”